End of the road

Kicking up dust clouds from the dirt trail, beads of sweat ran down my cheeks. There wasn't enough water to quench my dry tongue, and my breathe was difficult to catch. 

In my hazy view, the face of a young man smiled at me. Walking now at my side, I found his presence oddly comforting. Did I know this man? 

He said nothing until we reached  a shaded area surrounded by trees. There was a blanket next to a stream, and he invited me to rest. I took off my shoes, slowly crawled onto the blanket, and slept.